When Derek Was introduced early last year as the athletic director for Dalton State’s first ever four-year athletics program, the first athlete to call him was Madison Ellis.

Ellis said she would probably have gone to her hometown college anyway, but knowledge that she could be a part of athletics made the decision even easier.

“I contacted Derek Waugh as soon as I heard that they were going to have basketball,” she said. “As soon as they hired Coach (Robyn) Newell I contacted him again to make sure that he knew I was still interested even before I knew they were having competition cheer. I love to cheer so much that I just wanted to be a part of the new program and be there as it grows.”

The Dalton High School senior officially inked with the Roadrunners’ competitive cheer program Wednesday afternoon during a signing party in the DHS common’s area.

“I can’t wait to start working with the college program and getting to meet new people,” Ellis said. “I am going to be really dedicated to it just like I was in high school.”

Ellis is has been a scholar athlete during all four-years of high school. She has had at least a 3.75 GPA each year while being a Catamount varsity football cheerleader and competition cheer for three years. “I was in JV competition my freshman year and was on the varsity after that,” she said.

Newell looks forward to working with Ellis at DS. “She has represented this community in many ways,” Newell said. “Schools in the tri-state area have been an awesome feeder system for our program.”

Waugh was present for the event. “I’m so proud of what Robyn has done for our cheer program,” he said. “She has done a tremendous job of recruiting local athletes and also branching out all over the state and the southeast.”

“What we have been able to do with cheer is beyond my wildest expectations,” Waugh added. “It’s good to have Madison on board.”

I’m going to miss Madison,” Catamount cheer coach Tami Fleming said. “She has been everything that I could ever want in a Dalton High School cheerleader. She is responsible, respectful, dedicated. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe her.”

“She is going to be awesome at Dalton State,” Fleming continued. “The college is getting a really awesome kid.”

An honor graduate, Ellis was a member of the Spanish National Honor Society, Beta Club, Pep Club, and the National Honor Society. She plans to major in early childhood education with hopes of becoming a teacher. Madison is the daughter of Janet and Jeff Ellis of Dalton. She has one sister, Ansley Ellis, 13.

One person was killed Saturday morning on Ochs Highway. Another person in the same vehicle was taken to the hospital. An 18-wheeler was coming down the mountain, and hit three cars traveling up the mountain. Ochs Highway was closed in both directions, and HAZMAT crews were at the scene. The wreck happened at mid-morning. (click for more)

A home was destroyed by fire early Saturday morning in Hixson. Around 2:30 a.m. , the Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department responded to a possible house fire at 904 Wesley Drive in Hixson. When the first unit arrived on the scene, they reported the second floor of the home was completely engulfed with fire. Firefighters conducted a defensive ... (click for more)

All politics aside, the recent shooting in Florida, and every other shooting in a public place, is a senseless and, possibly, preventable tragedy. It is absurd that we can’t gather in a free society without the fear of some nut job or terrorist using us as targets. And then the cries of “do something!” from every quarter. But, other than the obvious attempt by agenda-pushers ... (click for more)

On Friday morning, this after a crazed human being killed 17 innocent children and adults at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Wednesday, I sat in a room with Sheriff Jim Hammond and members of his command staff and asked what everyone us want to know: “What do we do?” Gino Bennett, the sage guiding force, sat beside me and he told the room, “The time to ‘prevent’ is over ... (click for more)